Squarely the one to beat in Sunday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic 'Win and You're In' GI Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park, Good Magic (Curlin) looks to pick up the winning thread following a tough spring campaign. Crowned juvenile champion following a rousing score in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, the e Five Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables runner launched his 3-year-old season with an even third as the 3-5 choice in the Mar. 3 GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream. Evidently benefitting from that seasonal debut, the chestnut came from off the pace to take Keeneland's GII Blue Grass S. Apr. 7 and ran into a buzz saw named Justify (Scat Daddy), whose victory launched a Classic run for the Bob Baffert trainee. A gallant runner-up behind Justify in the May 5 GI Kentucky Derby, Good Magic battled that rival early in a sloppy renewal of the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 19 and weakened late to finish fourth behind that foe. As Justify completed the hat trick with a victory in the June 9 GI Belmont S., Good Magic remained on the sidelines, running a solid string of works, including a four-furlong move at Belmont in :48.57, the eighth fastest of 81 at the distance July 21. Also a Triple Crown combatant, Calumet's Bravazo (Awesome Again), winner of the Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S., finished a respectable sixth in the first left of the Triple Crown before just failing by a fast-closing half length to victor Justify in the Preakness. The D. Wayne Lukas pupil was on the throttle in the early going of the 12-furlong Test of the Champion and it appeared his earlier exertions finally caught up to him, resulting in a sixth-place finish behind Justify. Gary Broad's Core Belief stumbled early and was errant late en route to a second-place finish in Belmont's GIII Peter PanS. May 12, but benefitted from a less eventful trip last time, winning June 23 GIII Ohio Derby over Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior).
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